Refrigerating apparatus



Sept. 1, 1936. E. F. SCHWELLER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed April 5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 1 010: F, Sc Immune,

- BY v l/IS ATTORNEY-S.

Federated fiept. i, 1%36 2&52398 raiser orries REFRIGERATIN G APPARATUS Edmund F. Schweller, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application April 5, 1935, Serial No. 14,788

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to insulated cabinets such as refrigerator cabinets and specifically to the door opening and door construction thereof.

It has been the practice in the past to provide a refrigerator door comprising widely. spaced apart inner and outer metal panels with an insulating breaker strip about the peripheries of the door and between the spaced edges of the metal panels to break the metal to metal contact between the panels so as to prevent conduction of heat into the food storage compartment of the refrigerator cabinet.

gasket member has been attached to the door for sealing the door opening of the cabinet when the door is closed. My invention contemplates the making of a single yieldable and impervious to moisture integral member which will serve both purposes enumerated and which will be neat in appearance and of low cost.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved refrigerator cabinet door construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved means for sealing the door opening of a refrigerator cabinet when the door is closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved integral or unitary door sealing means and breaker strip for isolating the metal interior face from the metal exterior face of doors of refrigerator cabinets and for providing a finish between the metal faces of the door which is impervious to moisture.

In carrying out the foregoing objects it is a -still further object of the invention to secure the integral gasket seal and finish breaker strip of the present invention along the peripheries of a refrigerator cabinet door without the use of tacks, nails and screws or the-like.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through the front portion of a refrigerator cabinet showing the food compartment access opening thereof closed by a door constructed ac.- cording to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing- In addition a separate corner of the door 21.

panel or shell 12 secured thereto in any suitable 10 manner. An inner metal lining member I3 is also secured to the cabinet frame II and this lining member forms walls of a food storage compartment I4 within the cabinet 10. The space between the inner lining member l3 and the ex- 15 terior wall 12 of cabinet H] is filled with any suitable insulating material H5. The edge of shell or panel l2 and the edge of lining member l3 are spaced apart at the door opening I6 of cabinet ill and a molding strip ll of wood or any other suitable insulating material extends between and fits over the edges of shell i2 and lining iii to break the metal to metal contact of these metal members at the front of the cabinet and to provide a neat trim at this point. Cabinets constructed as herein described are now well-known to those skilled in the art and further descrip tion thereof is believed to be unnecessary.

The door opening 35 leading to the food compartment Hi of cabinet ii) is closed by a door generally designated by the reference character 2! and constructed in accordance with my invention. Door 2! includes a substantially rectangular frame constructed of a plurality of pieces of wood. Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings I will now describe the various parts constituting the frame of door 2 i. The door frame comprises two wood members 23 and two other wood memhere 24. The members 23 have a portion of their ends cut square as at 25 and another portion of their ends cut at an angle as at 26. The members 25 have a portion of their ends cut square as at 2'1 and another portion of their ends cut at an angle as at 28. These squared and angled portions on the ends of members 23 and 26 are adapted to correspond and cooperate with one another when the, ends of the frame members are brought together to form an overlapping joint at each The pair of members 23 each have a groove '29 formed in the flat shoulder portion 30 thereof and a pair of grooves 3i and 32 respectively formed or cut in the lower flat surface 33 thereof. The pair of members 25 each have grooves 35, 35 and 38 cut or formed therein and corresponding to the grooves 29, 3| and 32 is cut at an angle as at 31 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The frame of door 2| also includes a pair of relatively flat wood members 4| and a pair of flat wood members 42. One

of themembers 42 has a tapered lip edge portion 43 provided thereon and one end of each of the members 4| is cut to correspond to the shape of this lip portion. The other outer edges of members 4| and 42 are cut oif square as at 39 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 4). The lip portion 43 and squared edge portions 39 on members 4| and 42 are for a purpose to facilitate assembly of the frame into the outer metal panel of the door as will be hereinafter more fully described. Both members 4| have a raised portion formed on the inner flat side thereof and this raised portion is of the same heighth and width as thegroove 3| provided in members 23. Both of the members 42 are also provided with a raised portion 45 and this raised portion is of the same heighth and width as the groove in members 24. Holes 41 are drilled through the squared end portion 25 of members 23 and a plurality'of holes 48 are also drilled through the flat wood members 4| and 42 at spaced apart points.

Having described various parts which comprise the frame of the door 2| I will now explain the assembly of the door. The ends of the two wood members 23 are placed at right angles to the ends of the two wood members 24. The ends of the four members are then brought into overlapping relation with one another at the corners thereof so that the angled surfaces 26 and 28 formed thereon are in abutting relation. Screws are inserted in the holes 41 provided in members 23 and are threaded into the members 24 to bind the four wood members together to form an annular unitary frame (see Fig. 3) sealing gasket and finish breaker strip generally designated by the reference character 5| (see Figs. 1 and 3) is placed on each of the pair of members 23 and 24. The strip 5| is made or molded of yieldable material such, for example, as rubber and comprises a hollow substantially D-shaped flexible resilient portion 52 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3). A thick portion 53 extends laterally from the flat side of the D-shaped portion 52 of strip 5|. The portion 53 of strip 5| has a finger portion 54 extending laterally therefrom and another finger portion 55 extending therefrom and at an angle to the finger portion 54. Each of these finger portions 54 and 55 of strip 5| include hooked ends 56 and SLrespectively. The finger portion 55 of strip 5| is relatively wide and extendsbetween the widely spaced apart edges of an inner metal pan 6| and an outer metal pan. 62 which forms the inner and outer wall surfaces of door 2| (see Fig. l). The pans 6| and 62 are adapted to be coated with a vitreous enamel to provide the door 2| with porcelain exterior and interior surfaces. The relatively wide finger portion 55 of strip 5| extends or lies in abutting relation and over a substantial portion of the edge surface or periphery of door 2| and forms a finish breaker strip for preventing transference of heat to andfrom the inner and outer metal wall surfaces of the door 2|. Continuing with the explanation of assembling the door 2| it is desired to point out that one of the strips 5| is placed,

A combined integral 7 29 and 34. The finger portions 54 of strips 5| are snapped over the shoulder formed by the flat.

surface 33 and groove 32 so that the hooked portions 56 of the members 5| lie in the grooves 32 and 36. The finger portion 55 of strip 5| is thus stretched tightly between the grooves 29 and 34 and the grooves 32 and 36 so as to abut or lie flat against the outer edge surface of wood members 23 and 24. After the strips 5| have been attached in the manner described, to the secured together wood members 23 and 24, the wood members 4| and 42 are adapted to be secured to the unitary frame. The raised portion 44 on the members 4| and the raised portion 45 on the pair of members 42 are placed in the-grooves 3| and 35 so as to locate the members 4| and 42 in proper alignment with the members 23 and 24. Screws are inserted in the holes 48 in the fiat members 4| and 42 and these screws are forced or threaded into the members 23 and 24 to secure door frame, constructed and assembled as herein described, the lip edge portion 43 of the frame is placed under one of the bent-over edge portions 64 provided on the outer pan 62. The

squared edge portions 39 on the members 4| and 42 being of less distance apart than the distance between the edge of the inturned portions 64 of pan 62 permits the unitary frame to be moved into and against the wall of pan 62. The members 4| and 42 of the unitary frame having the squared edge portions 39 are then adapted to be secured to the pan 62. I provide a plurality of wedges or strips 66 which slide in'slots 61 cut at spaced apart points in the inner faces of the flat wood members 4| and-42. The wedges are moved outwardly of the members 4| and 42 so as to tightly fit under the inturned lip or flange 64 on pan 62. These wedges, after having been moved under the lip 64 on pan 62 as described, may be glued or tacked in place as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings in any suitable manner. A metal clip 69 is placed at each corner of the frame over the abutting ends of the strip 5| and a screw which passes through the clip 69 is threaded into the fiat angular corner surface 31 provided on members 24 to hold theclip 69 in place at the corner 'of the door 2| (see Fig. 3). The space between the members of the wood frame is then filled with any desired or suitable insulating material I2. A moistureproof paper or the like covering 13 is glued to the inner surface of the members 23 and 24 of the frame to seal the insulating material 12 within door 2|.

' vided in pan 6| and are then threaded into the members 23 and 24 of the wood frame at spaced apart points to draw theedges 14 on pan 6| tightly against the portions 51 of strips 5|. A latch 18 and hinges 19 may be secured to door 2| in any suitable and well-known manner for pivotally mounting the door upon the cabinet adjacent the door opening l6 thereof.

The inner pan 6| of door 2| is then placed over the paper covering 13 and the inaooasos In Fig. 2 of the drawings I have disclosed a modified form of my invention. In this modified form of the invention the inner pan 8| of door 2| is shallower than the pan GI and the finger portion 82 of the rubber member 5| extends from the gasket sealing portion 52 thereof to a point substantially in alignment with the inner surface of door 2|. Thus the finger portion 82 of strip 5| in this modified showing forms a finish breaker strip surface over substantially the entire width of the edge or periphery of door 2|.

While I have shown my invention as applied to a door of a refrigerator cabinet it is to be understood that the invention is equally adaptable for application to any wall structure wherein an inner and an outer metal panel is to be widely spaced apart and insulated from one another at the periphery of the wall construction by an impervious member. For example, it may be desirable to apply my integral rubber gasket' seal and finish strip to the peripheries of the door opening of the cabinet so that the door which is adapted to close the opening will not necessarily carry the gasketseal. In this modified example a flange provided on a door could engage the gasket sealing portion of the rubber member attached to the cabinet to close the food storage compartment from external air. If desired, the yieldable member 5i could have a plurality of the hollow flexible sealing portions 52 formed thereon for engaging the cabinet at a plurality of points about the door opening thereof.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided an improved combined gasket seal and finish breaker strip for attachment to the peripheries of a refrigerator cabinet door. My invention eliminates the attachment of a gasket which is separate from the breaker strip on a door. My improved combined gasket seal and breaker strip reduces the cost of manufacturing refrigerator cabinet doors and eliminates the necessity of providing a highly finished surface along the outer edges of the door frame while at the same time providing a finish for the exposed peripheries of the door frame which is neat in appearance and impervious to moisture. The improved door construction and the novel method of attaching the integral gasket seal and finish breaker strip to the frame thereof eliminates the use of tacks, nails or screws.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow? What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerator cabinet doorconstruction comprising inner and outer metallic walls, means for spacing the edges of said metallic walls a substantial distance apart and for providing an insulating chamber therebetween, an insulating member having a flexible resilient sealing portion extending parallel to said metallic walls and adapted to engage a wall of a cabinet, and said insulating member also having a portion formed integral with the sealing portion thereof and extending over'said means in a plane disposed at an angle to the plane of extension of said walls and engaging the edges of the inner and outer metallic walls about the peripheries of said door to form a finish strip between said edges.

2. A refrigerator cabinet door construction comprising inner and outer metallic walls, a frame extending around and spacing the edges of said metallic walls a substantial distance apart and providing an insulating chamber therebetween, a rubber member having a flexible resilient sealing portion extending parallel to said metallic walls and adapted to engage a wall of a cabinet, and said rubber member also having a portion formed integral with the sealing portion thereof and extending over said frame in a plane disposed at an angle to the plane of extension of said walls and engaging the edges of the inner and outer metallic walls about the peripheries of said door to form a finish strip between said edges.

3. In a. refrigerator cabinet, a wall construction having inner and outer metallic finish panels, means spacing the edges of said finish panels a substantial distance apart and providing an insulating chamber therebetween, an insulating member extending over said means at an angle to the extension of said panels at the peripheries.

of the wall construction and engaging edges of the outer and inner metal panels to form a finish strip between said edges, and said insulating member also having a flexible resilient sealing portion extending in a plane parallel to the extension of said panels and formed integral with the finish strip portion thereof for engagement with another wall construction.

4. A refrigerator cabinet door construction comprising inner and outer metallic walls, a frame extending around and spacing the edges of said metallic walls a substantial distance apart and providing an insulating chamber therebetween, a rubber member lying over the frame of the door about the peripheries thereof, said rubber member including a flexible resilient sealing portion extending parallel to said metallic walls and adapted to engage a wall of a cabinet, said rubber member also including a portion formed integral with the sealing portion thereof and extending at an angle to the extension of said walls for engaging the edges of the inner and outer metallic walls of said door, and means for securing said rubber member to said door frame.

5. A refrigerator cabinet door construction comprising inner and outer metallic walls, a frame extending around and widely spacing the edges of said metallic walls apart to provide an insulating chamber between the walls, a member of yielding material lying over the frame of the door about the peripheries thereof, said member including a flexible resilient sealing portion extending parallel to the extension of said walls and adapted to engage a wall of a cabinet, said member also including a portion formed integral formed on said member and fitting in said groove to secure said member to said door.

6. A refrigerator cabinet door construction comprising inner and outer metallic walls, a frame extending around and widely spacing the edges of said metallic walls apart to provide an insulating chamber between the walls, said frame having a plurality of grooves about the peripheries thereof, a member of yielding material having portions thereof fitting in said grooves to secure same to said frame, said member including a flexing another portion formed integral with the sealing portion thereof and extending over the peripheries of the frame to provide a finish strip between the inner and outer metallic walls of the door, said another portion of said member being disposed at an angle to the extension of said walls and engaging the edges of said inner and outer -metallic walls.

\7. A refrigerator cabinet door comprising in combination, inner and outer metallic walls, a frame widely spacing the edges of said walls apart and providing an insulating chamber between the walls, and an integral gasket seal and finish breaker strip secured to said frame about the peripheries of the door and extending between the widely spaced apart edges of said metallic walls, said finish breaker strip portion of said integral means being disposed at an angle to the extension of said metallic walls and engaging the widely spaced apart edges thereof.

8. A refrigerator cabinet door comprising in combination, inner and outer metallic walls, a

frame widely spacing the edges of said walls apart and providing an insulating chamber between the walls, and a combined gasket seal and finish breaker strip including a flexible resilient portion extending parallel with the extension of said walls and another portion extending at an angle to the extension of said walls between and engaging the edges of the widely spaced apart metallic walls.

9. A refrigerator cabinet door comprising in combination, inner and outer metallic walls, a frame widely spacing the edges of said walls apart and providing an insulating chamber between the walls, and a one-piece moulded rubber member secured to said frame about the peripheries of said door, said member including a flexible resilient bead portion extending parallel with the extension of said walls and another portion extending at an angle to the extension of said walls between and engaging the widely spaced apart edges of said metallic walls, said flexible bead portion of said member providing a gasket adapted to engage and seal an opening to be closed by said door and said portion of said member disposed at an angle to the extension of said walls providing a finish breaker strip between the metallic walls.

10. A member of low heat conducting material adapted to be applied to a frame of "a wall structure having widely spaced apart inner and outer metallic panels, said member comprising a flexible sealing portion and another portion formed integral with and disposed at an angle to the sealing portion thereof and adapted to extend between and engage the edges of the widely spaced apart metallic panels to provide -a finish strip over the frame about the peripheries of the wall structure, and said member also comprising an integral attaching portion extending away from-one of the other portions thereof and adapted to be secured to the wall structure inwardly of the periphery thereof.

11. A member of low heat conducting material adapted to be applied to a frame of a wall structure having widely spaced apart inner and outer metallic panels, said member comprising a flexible sealing portion and another portion finish strip portion thereof and both of said attaching portions being adapted to be secured to the wall structure inwardly of the periphery thereof.

EDMUND F. SCHWELLER. 

